Automatic piano-violin.



L. BAJDB.

AUTOMATIC PIANO VIOLIN. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS 0a., wAssmaruu, D. c.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patem a May 9, 1911.

L. 131111111. AUTOMATIC PIANO VIOLIN APPLIOATION FILED JULY 9, 1910.

THE mmms PETERS C0,, wnsnmcrun, n. c.

@FFTQE.

LUDWIG BAJDE, OF SCHISCI-IKA, NEAR LAIBACI-I, AUSTPIA-I-IUNGARY.

AUTOMATIC PIANO-VIOLIN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnnwio BAJon, subject of the Emperor ofAustria-l-lungary, residing at Schischka, near Laibach, in Carniola,Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAuto matic PianoViolins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to pro vide an apparatus for operatingthe strings of mechanical bow-instruments having one or more strings, byneans of which the strings of the instrument can be operated acrosstheir length for producing the bow notes and also along their length forproducing tremolo effects. The bow notes are produced preferably bymeans of an ordinary bow having a stick formed of an iron tube, which ismounted on a carrier and is adapted to be pressed against the string orstrings of the suitably supported instrument by means of bellows or thelike. The bow carrier is guided longitudinally along two smoothstretched cords or wires and is connected to an endless cord or the likepassing over guide pulleys which are adapted to be pressed separately bymeans of bellows likewise operated by air suction, or the like againstfriction pulleys which are rotated either temporarily or continuously,for the purpose of causing the bow to make its bowing movement upon thestrings. These fric tion pulleys are conveniently connected to gether bya crossed cord or the like whereby they are rotated. According as one orthe other guide pulley of the cord or the like connected to the bowcarrier, is pressed against its respective friction pulley, the bow isthereby caused to move in the one or the other direction. By alternatelypressing one or the other guide pulley against its respective frictionpulley and removing it therefrom, detached bowing effects in one and thesame direction can be produced. Staccato playing can also be executed inthis manner. For producing tremolo effects, the string of the instrumentis connected to the movable part of a bellows or the like operated bymeans of the air suction apparatus, whereby the string can be pulled andreleased alternately by moving the said part of the bellows to-and-fro.In the case of an instrument having several strings, it can be arrangedto be rocked on its longitudinal axis, preferably by pneumatic meansderived from the aforesaid air suction apparatus, so

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Serial No. 571,200.

as to present any desired string to the bow. The control of the airsuction for producing the various positions and movements is effected inthe ordinary way by means of a perforated music strip or sheet in a wellknown manner.

The invention is illustrated in the acc0mpanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section of oneconstructional example of the improved bowing apparatus operated bymeans of friction mechanism,applied to a onestringed instrument; Fig. 2is a plan of the same apparatus; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line3-3 of Fig. 2, drawn to a larger scale and Fig. 4- is an elevation of aportion of the bowing mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly insection and Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a bowing mechanism with directdriving of the bow. Fig. 7 illustrates a modified arrangement of thebellows for actuating the bowing mechanism and Fig. 8 illustrates anarrangement for producing tremolo effects.

As shown, the instrument 2 furnished with a single string 1 is supportedon a table or the like and the bowing mechanism is arwinged above it,consisting of an ordinary adjustable bow 3 the frame of which ispreferably composed of an iron tube for the purpose of avoidingdeflection. The bow is fixed to two suspension members 4, 4 capable ofbeing lengthen-ed and shortened, each pivoted to the movable top 5 of abe]- lows 6. The two bellows G are mounted on a hollow box 7 which isarranged parallel to the bow 3 and carries adjustable springs S. Thelatter act with their ends upon the movable top 5 of the respectivebellows and have a tendency to keep the bellows expanded, in whichposition the bow 3 is kept raised, that is, away from the string 1. Thebellows 6 communicate with each other and with a flexible pipe 9 throughwhich the air can be sucked from the bellows, whereby the latter arecaused to collapse in opposition to the action of springs 8, so as toallow the bow 3 by means of its suspension members 4 to be brought downwith its horsehair against the string 1. The bellows, preferablycommunicate through holes 10 with the cavity of the box 7 and the lattercommunicates with the flexible pipe 9 that is mounted in the top of thesaid box. The box 7 that constitutes the support of the bowing mechanismcarries at its ends wide cross pieces 19,- covered with strips 11 (Fig.of felt or leather and termed with side notches 13 through which passtwo parallel guides formed of cords or wires 1st stretched betweenrotary pegs The box 7 is connected by n'ieans of hooks or clips 16 onits ends to a cord or the like 15 passing over guide pulley. 17, 18. Themovement of this cord 19 in one or the other direction produces ato-and-fro movement of the entire bowing" mechanism along; the cords orwires 1- whereby the how 3 is caused to make is. bowing: movement, sothat if ithas been brought against the string 1 by the air ha ving beensucked from the bellows 6 it will cause the string 1 to sound.

ln the construction shown in l ip's. l to l, the movement of the cord orthe like 19 is produced by the following means: Friction pulleys 20. 21which are rotatable in lixed bearings are. arranged above the pulleys17, 1S and are connected to each other by a crossed cord or the like 22.One of the friction pulleys is rotated permanently in one direction andproduces by means of the crossed cord 22 a rotary movement of the otherfriction pulley in the opposite direction. The pulleys 17, 18 areadjustable separately and. in the example shown, are mounted on levers2a- ;tulcrumed at According to the guide pulley 17 or 18 is broughtagaii'ist its respective friction pulley or 21, the cord 19 andv throughit the entire bowing mechanism is moved in the one or the otherdirection.

The bringing of the guide pulleys 17, 18 against their respectivefriction pulleys 20, 91 is effected preferably by pneumatic means. Forthis purpose the levers 24 are connected by means of hanging: rods 25 tothe movable bottoms 23 of the respective bellows 26 which are mounted onthe fixed frame parts 27 andfrom which the air is sucked through thepipe 29. The upward movement of the parts 28 and, due to this suctionraise. the guide pulleys 17. 18 respectively against the frictionpulleys 20,

The rotation of the friction pulleys 90,

Ql. 21 is conveniently derived from the shaft 30 of thesuctioil-producing apparatus, as indicated in Fig. l-.

in the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the pulleys 17, 1.8, contraryto the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4. are mountel to rotate in fixedbearings so that the bow carrier T is not subjected to appreciableatriations of position in the vertical direction.

On the shaft 30 of each of the. two pulleys there is fixed a pulley 0 towhich fastened one end of a cord or the like 31 that, after having; beenpassed one or more times around the pulley o, is attached at its otherend to the movable part 28 of a bellows 26. The latter communicatesthrough the pipe 29' with the air suction apparatus. The two cords 31are laid around their respective pulleys 0 in such a manner that theoperation. that is, the collapse of one bellows causes the bow carrier 7with the bow to move in one direction, while at the same time the otherbellows is expanding and vice versa. The two bellows 26 may also bearranged close together as shown in Fig. 7, for the purpose of avoidinglong pipe connections. in such a case. the two bellows act upon one andthe same pulley 0 around which a cord ll is passed that is securedthereto at one point and is attached at one end to the mov able part 25of one bellows and at its other end to the movable part of the otherbellows.

For the purpose of produc ng: tremolo cffccts the string holder isconstituted by the upper end of a lever 3 (i 12. Bl which is fulcrumedat 32 on the support for the instrumcut and is connected by means of anadjustable rod 3st to the movable part 35 of a bellows 36. This bellowscommunicates through a pipe 37 with the air suction appaatus. llyalternately sucking the air from the bellows and admitting it into thelatter, the string will be stretched and shickened alternately asrequired for the production of tremolo effects.

The various pneumatic devices (the bellows (3, 2G, 26 and 3(3) areconnected by pipes (9, 29 and 37) to an air-suction apparatus of anysuitable kind.

The improved bowing apparatus allows of producing various musicaleffects, such as staccato, pizzicato and tremolo playing, sustained orshort bow notes, etc.

I claim:

1. The combination with a stringed instrument and av bow for vibratingthe strings thereof. of an endless flexible carrier connect-- ed withand supporting the bow in operative relation to the lIlSl'l'Hl'l'lC-llt,means to reciprocate the carrier, and means to move the bow to and fromthe strings of the instrument.

:2. The combination with a stringed instrument and a bow for vibratingthestring s thereof, of an endless flexible carrier connected with and.supporting the bow in 0perativc relation to the lllStl'llll'lCHt andpneumat-ics to move the bow to and from the strings of the instrument.

The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioncd bow forvibrating the strings thereof having a rigid frame. of pneumatirallyoperated supports for said frame adapted to press the bow onto thestrings, a flexible member carryingthe frame and supports, and means toreciprocate the carrier.

4. The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioned bowfor vibratin; the strings thereof having a rigid frame, of pneumaticallyoperated. supports for said frame adapted to move the bow to and fromthe strings, a flexible member carrying the frame and supports, supportsfor the flexible member, andmeans to oscillate the latter supports toreciprocate the flexible member.

5. The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioned bowadapted to engage the strings thereof having a rigid frame, of a bowsupport comprising a box, an air conduit communicating with the latter,bellows communicating with the box and connected to the bow frame, andmeans for reciprocating the bow support.

6. The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioned bowadapted to engage the strings thereof having a rigid frame, of a bowsupport comprising a box, an air conduit communicating with the box,bellows connected to the bow frame and communicating with the box, aflexible member connected with the box, pulleys on which the flexiblemember is mounted, and means to oscillate the pulleys.

7. The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioned bowadapted to vibrate the strings thereof having a rigid frame, of a bowsupport comprising a box, an air conduit communicating with the box,bellows connected to the bow frame and communicating with the box, aflexible member connected with the box, pulleys on which the flexiblemember is mounted, and pneumatically operated means for oscillating thepulleys.

8. The combination with a stringed instru ment and a juxtapositionedbow, of pneu matically operated supports to move the bow to and from thestrings, a flexible carrier for the supports, and pneumatically operatedmeans to reciprocate the carrier.

9. The combination with a stringed instru ment and a juxtapositioned bowfor vibrating the strings thereof, of pneumatically operated supports tomove the bow to and from the strings, a flexible carrier for thesupports, pulleys on which the flexible carrier is mounted, pneumatics,and flexible members connecting the latter with the pulleys.

10. The combination with a stringed instrument and a juxtapositioned bowadapted to vibrate the strings thereof having a rigid frame, of a bowsupport comprising a box, a flexible air conduit comunicating therewith,a bellows at each end of and communicating with the box, rods connectingthe movable parts of the bellows to the bow frame, parallel guides forthe box, a flexible member connected to the latter, pulleys carrying theflexible member, and pneumatics flexibly connected to the pulleysadapted to oscillate the latter to reciprocate the flexible member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LUDVVIG BAJDE.

Witnesses Josm RUBERNE, AUeUsT FUGGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

